Christian's First Birthday

One year ago I found myself here. Contracting, laboring, and waiting out those last few hours before I was to meet my second child. My son. 

Nothing can prepare you for the moment that you see your baby for the first time. You don't know what he is like, you don't know how he will impact your family, your schedule, your sanity. But you don't really care about those things. In that moment time is still, every one of your senses takes in what is happening. As your eyes study that face and happy tears start to fall. Everything is raw and real and you are truly living in the moment, because nothing is better than this.

We named him Christian Clark. A name, when we uttered out loud for the first time, fit so perfectly that I refused to acknowledge that any other name existed.  We got acquainted that day, with each other, as a family. Each one of us expanding our hearts and growing as we fell in love with this tiny little bundle.

Those memories are so strong. I remember kissing those tiny soft lips for the very first time. "Hello baby." But on that day I had no idea where we would be a year from then. I didn't know the struggles, the frustrations, the peace, the love, and ultimately the growth that would occur in our family the year after Christian was born.

There is something special about this boy. I don't really know how to describe it. But the three of us fell hard for him. Aside from a few eating struggles Christian has always been peaceful and mellow. 

It was a rough year. Aside from the standard discomforts of growing and learning how to be a family of four, we waded through some crazy schedules, and struggles. We were definitely thrown into the refiners fire this year, although sometimes it just felt like we were on fire running around like crazy people trying to put it out. But through all of the chaos there was a calm, snuggly, and loving little boy. His personality seemed to balance out the hectic. I honestly think he was meant to come at this time in our lives. If he was just as crazy as the rest I'm sure we would have imploded somehow. 

He is no perfect angel child, but he is perfect for our family. We thank Heavenly Father for this sweet boy everyday.

The night before his first birthday I snuck in to capture one last baby shot of him and soak in his less-than-one-year-old molecules.

Grace and I snuck into his room in the morning and sang him Happy Birthday. Our bashful boy smiled and hid his face as we serenaded him with our groggy morning voices.

Unfortunately, due to us going out of town, we had to take Christian to his one year doctors appointment on his birthday. Nothing says happy birthday quite like getting stabbed with needles....

We grabbed lunch at Wing Stop in honor of the main food I craved when I was pregnant with him.

While the kids napped I got to making Christian's cake. I wasn't sure if he would be a vanilla fan or a chocolate fan, but I found this nifty little cake mix that let me have both. (Side note: this was the best cake from a box that I have ever had)

After presents we got set up in the backyard for Christian to smash some cake.

He just stared at it, every once in awhile picking at the frosting.

He got more into it as he ate more frosting.

We put the cake closer to him. And he didn't attack it. So, we just threw the cake in his lap.

After a couple of bites he was done. Although not a huge cake destruction but still a job well done.

 

Our city does a Freedom Festival every year on the 3rd of July, complete with fireworks that night. We got dressed in our patriotic best and headed to a friends house to watch the show.

Christian's first fireworks show

Grace was a fan

It was a pretty fabulous way to end his very first birthday

To our Christian Clark

CCB

Ceece

Cecil

and

Boyo

Happy Birthday

We love you!